Degree of Precision

"It is the mark of an instructed mind to rest satisfied with the degree of precision which the nature of the subject admits and not to seek exactness when only an approximation of the truth is possible."
Aristotle BC 384-322, Greek Philosopher

This has come up recently in conversation with respect to precision and accuracy of survey work. With the advent of GPS surveying, accuracy and precision can be achieved to a level that is so far beyond the abilities of past survey era equipment. Something comparable to the Wright Flyer and the Stealth Fighter. But we can so overdo things now as well. Spending hour upon hour to eek out an extra hundredth or thousandth of a foot, in my opinion, really is a waste of time depending on the application (much of land surveying applications fall within this category). Sometimes approximation, especially educated and rigorously derived approximation, is just fine. Save those extra hours and spend them with your family...